New York Jets defensive end Bryan Thomas, shown during training camp, was arrested and charged with assaulting his wife, police said. / The Star-Ledger, USA TODAY Sports

by Peggy Wright, USA TODAY Sports

by Peggy Wright, USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets linebacker Bryan Thomas has applied for admission into a special probation program to resolve charges of assaulting his wife and possessing painkillers and marijuana paraphernalia.

Thomas, 33, was charged Oct. 31 in Randolph, N.J., where he lives, with aggravated assault upon his wife at their home. The linebacker -- listed as 6-4 and 265 pounds on the Jets roster -- allegedly pushed his wife with a kitchen chair, punched her in the stomach, and grabbed her by the neck, causing pain and marks on her body, according to criminal complaints.

Thomas, who posted $2,500 bail after his arrest, also was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon (the kitchen chair), possession of drug paraphernalia, possession of less than 50 grams of marijuana, and possession of 20 tablets of suspected hydrocodone.

Complaints state that Thomas had a Havannah hookah, a pack of ZigZag rolling papers, a box of Phillies Blunt Cigars, and six small glass vials, all allegedly used to smoke or store marijuana. The suspected hydrocodone was found in an orange Walgreens prescription bottle with no label, the complaints said.

Through high-profile New York City attorney Joseph Tacopina, Thomas has applied for admission into Morris County's Pre-Trial Intervention program for first-time offenders. If he successfully completes a period of probation and other conditions, the charges would be dismissed and he would not have a criminal record.

Thomas is scheduled to appear in Superior Court, in Morristown, N.J., on Feb. 5 before Judge Stuart Minkowitz. A telephone listing for Thomas was not in working order.

Tacopina could not immediately be reached for comment. According to published profiles, GQ Magazine has called Tacopina "the hardest working, hottest lawyer in the country," and he has represented celebrities or national figures that include former New York Sen. Hiram Monserrate, and entertainers Sticky Fingaz and Foxy Brown. He also defended New Jersey nurse Melanie McGuire, who was convicted at trial of murdering her husband.

Wright reports for the Morris County (n.J.) Daily Record, a Gannett property.